Henry j



Patented 1an. 3|, |899. `H. J. RITTER. A

, GATE.

:Application filed Sept. 7. 1598.)

(No Model.)

ATTORNEY.

NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. RITTER, OF TIPPEOANOE CITY, OHIO.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,619, dated January 31, 1899.

Application tiled September '7, 1898. Serial No. 690,411. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY J. RITTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tippecanoe Oity, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gates, particularly farm-gates. t

The object of this invention is to so construct a farm-gate that it will have lateral rigidity, so that it will at all times withstand lateral strains, such as by animals pushing against it, and also one that will be prevented from sagging down at its outer end, and to accomplish which my invention has reference to the arrangement and combination of suitable braces and lateral trusses, as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im. proved gate; Fig. 2, an edge view of the same; and Fig. 3, a partial sectional view on the line oc m, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The letter A represents end uprights mortised out at suitable intervals to' receive boards or rails B, which are held in place by means of bolts or pins O or in any other suitable manner. Between the uprights 'a pair of battens D are secured to the rails B, one on each side of said rails. Along each side of one of the rails, preferably about the middle of the gate and extending across or on the outside of the battens, I provide what I term lateral trusses E, which are secured near their outer ends to the rail by means of screws or bolts, as shown at F, and to the battens D, as shown at G. Thus it will be seen that these trusses gradually taper outward from their fastening-points F to where they pass on the outside of the battens D, so that they are separated from each other the thickness of both battens and one of the rails. This gives great lateral rigidity to the gate, so that when an animal pushes against it there is no bending or bulging and no loosening of the parts, but the gate remains intact\and retains its shape perfectly in a lateral direction.

I will now refer to the manner in which the gate is kept from sagging and the manner in which it is additionally braced in a lateral direction. From the lower end of one of the battens D it will be seen that a pair of braces H extend to the upper end of the uprights or posts A on the outside of the lateral trusses E, while from the upper end of the other ba'tten D extend braces I, on the opposite side of said gate,` to the lower ends of said uprights, which braces also extend over the other of said lateral trusses. Screws, bolts, or nails are employed to secure these braces to the railsand to the lateral trusses, as-shown at J. By passing over on the outside of the lateral trusses these braces, aside from preventing the sagging of the gate, also assist in stiening it laterally and hold it from getting out of true vertically. Thus it will be seen that while my gate may be built of light material, still it is so braced and trussed that it will not sag, will not bend or bulge laterally, and will not get out of true vertically, and at the same time is constructed cheaply.

The letters K represent strips or blocks placed on the top and bottom rails B, close to one of the uprights A, and which are of sufcient thickness to extend out level or flush with said upright to afford a smooth surface for the accommodation of a pair of hinges.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a gate, composed of terminal uprights connected by rails, a. pair of battens located between saidv uprights and secured to opposite sides of said rails, a pair of lateral trusses tting between said uprights and bent outward midway their length and passing over on the outside of said battens, a pair of braces on one side of said gate extending from the lower end of one of said battens to the upper end of the respective uprights and passing over one of said lateral trusses and secured thereto and to the gate-rails, and another pair of braces on the opposite side of said gate and extending' from near the upper end of the other of said battens to near the lower end of said uprights and also passing over the other of said lateral trusses and secured thereto and to the gate-rails, al1 substantially as shown and described. ro

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY J. RITTER. Witnesses:

WM. KOETITZ, VILL I-I. LONG. 

